Introduction

“If you’re able, please stand.” Reading Matt. 28:16–20. “Thanks be to God.”

On New Year’s Eve, 1993, I was taking communion with 20,000 college students. It was Urbana 93, a massive missions conference put on every three years by InterVarsity. The goal was to inspire college students for missions. Ajith Fernando spoke on the I AM statements from the gospel of John. The worship was powerful. The testimonies were amazing.

By that point I had been to Russia with YWAM and felt some draw to missions.

But also felt called to finish my college degree.

Urbana was Christmas break of my senior year in college.

Africa had been the continent most appealing to me. So, I went to the Africa Inland Mission booth and talked to them about a program they did that allowed people to test the waters. I can’t remember if it was 3-months or 18-months. I came home and applied. And was rejected.

At that point in my life I had only been a Christian for 3 years. They could tell I needed some more time in the oven before getting launched into all the challenges of the mission field, especially as a single man.

That providential event would result in my becoming a church intern in Mansfield, OH. There I would learn about the church. The place of the church in God’s strategy to disciple the nations. Eventually I would feel the call to be a pastor in the church. My role in the global Great Commission would be being a pastor in a local church in the US. As of this summer, that call remains. Part of my sabbatical this summer was praying a bit to reassess my calling. I didn’t spend long there, because I sensed the call was for the long haul.

Last spring as the elders anticipated the upcoming year, we felt the need for our annual theme to be one more OUTWARD in its focus.

Elder retreat...we talked through the Great Commission and how we wanted to focus it for our church year. Our theme: “As you go, make disciples.”

The goal is for this theme to stay before us in our ministries and meetings. Not the focus of every meeting and teaching but we’ll have regular mentions of it.

We’ll be thinking about this for the next several weeks. Next week Benjamin will drill down into what it means that our calling is to “all the nations.”

Then John on what it means that our calling is to “baptize” and “teach.”

And then Mike on what it means that Christ is with us.

Some things about being a Great Commission church.

This morning we’ll look at Matthew 28:16–20, a paragraph that’s been called the Great Commission a long time.

My points: A Commission... (1) ...by the Christ with all authority; (2) ...to make disciples of all nations; (3) ...for all of us.

Prayer

I. A Commission by the Christ with All Authority

Let’s get oriented to this setting.

• The Great Commission takes place in Galilee after the resurrection of Jesus.
• Several appearances in Jerusalem recorded in Luke. A week later to doubting Thomas in John’s gospel.
• But then they return to Galilee.
• Remembering Jesus’s words to the disciples (Matt 26:32), the angel’s words to the women (Matt 28:7), Jesus’s words to the women (Matt 28:10)—each time saying he would go ahead of them to Galilee.
• There is the scene in John 21 at the Sea of Galilee (Sea of Tiberias)—“feed my sheep.”
• And then this revelation of Christ to the disciples in Galilee.
• After this they’ll return to Jerusalem and hear a final Commission before his Ascension (Luke 24:44–49; Acts 1:3–11). Then, Pentecost (Acts 2).
• The Great Commission takes place on a mountain in Galilee. Fitting since important words from God are often given on a mountain—Mount Sinai to Moses; the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7); the Transfiguration (Matt 17).
• Matthew tells us that despite several resurrection appearances already, “some doubted.” Their faith wasn’t fully mature. After Pentecost their doubts would disappear. But here, some “doubted”—possibly “hesitated” (Carson).

But to these imperfect saints, Jesus would still speak his Great Commission.

Begins with an opening declaration: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt 28:18).

A thundering statement.

Christ is saying that in his work as Messiah, as Mediator, as Redeemer, he is now in a new state.

His life, suffering, death, and burial were all part of the state of his HUMILIATION. What he did to redeem us.

But then began the process of his EXALTATION—his resurrection, soon his ascension.

Jesus had authority and power throughout his ministry, so that is not different. What is different is now the Christ has “all authority in heaven and on earth.” The Father gave it to him.

In his state of HUMILIATION he had to battle Satan in the wilderness after 40 days of not eating or drinking.

In his state of HUMILIATION he faced another night of agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, kneeling, sweating drops of blood.

But those days are over. Now he is the RESURRECTED CHRIST! Exalted! “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to him by the Father!”

There will be no more duels with the devil. The devil has absolutely no power over him, no hold on him.

There will be no more debates with Pharisees or dealing with mockers. He is the RESURRECTED CHRIST! EXALTED! The one in whom is all power in heaven and on earth.

All do not now recognize his authority, but they will—willingly or unwillingly. All do not sense his power, but they will—willingly or unwillingly.

Now his rule and reign are invisible and “the fool” can still say “there is no God” (Ps 14:1). But not for long. One day all such fools will be silenced.

This new state of Christ’s exaltation means a new day for the MISSION of the Church. They are about to be commissioned to a bold new task—a task only possible because Christ has ALL AUTHORITY.

II. A Commission to Make Disciples of All Nations

The Commission Jesus gives us is in Matt. 28:19–20.

Four verbs define the mission: (1) Go, (2) Make Disciples, (3) Baptizing, (4) Teaching. How they relate is not a simple matter.

Start with the core of it. In the Greek it’s clear that the main verb in these two verses is “make disciples.” The main idea is to “make disciples of all nations.” It’s an imperative, something Jesus is commanding us to do.

He is commanding us to do what he did, which is to “make disciples.” Jesus called people to himself in a way that’s different for us. He said, “Follow me!”; we say, “Follow Christ!”

The call for us is that through our words and actions and prayers, we make “the nations” into those who are followers of Christ. The Spirit changes hearts, but we speak and act and pray to see the nations become Christ-followers.

What is a disciple?

A disciple is someone who follows a teacher and patterns his life after that person. A disciple involves being a learner, a student. It involves a relationship with someone else. You are putting yourself underneath the teaching and example of the teacher.

But when you’re a disciple of CHRIST, it’s more than just a Teacher/student relationship. It’s also a Master/slave relationship. A Lord/servant relationship.

Being a disciple of Christ involves a commitment to TOTAL OBEDIENCE to Christ. It’s complete submission.

This isn’t a job where I clock in and clock out. I don’t do it for 40 hours a week but get to control the rest of my lfie. There is no MINUTE OF MY TIME that is off the clock or off limits. Always, at all times, without any interruption, I belong to Christ and am accountable to him.

And there’s no PART OF ME that is off limits:

• My mind is to be submitted—the things I think about and don’t think about.
• My heart is to be submitted—the things I love and hate are to be conformed to Christ.
• My body is to be submitted—what I do with my eyes and hands, the places I go, the actions I perform. It is all to be conformed to Christ.

Following Christ isn’t like following anyone else. He can demand things of me impossible and wrong for another to demand it of me.

But this is what it means to call Jesus our Lord, our Master, our King. That’s what it means to be his disciple.

The good news is that this life of discipleship and submission is also the happiest life. Following Christ is following the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life.

This is the Master who says to us,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

And this is the Master who says says to us,

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11)

That’s the first part of the phrase, “MAKE DISCIPLES.”

Then we see we are to “MAKE DISCIPLESOF ALL THE NATIONS.”

The Great Commission is where the blessings found in Christ are to extend to “all the nations.” The blessings went first to Israel, but then they were to go to “all the nations.”

The idea of blessing all the nations is not a new one. It goes all the way back to the patriarch Abraham.

And Jesus is really saying, “OK. It’s time for the promise I made to Abraham to be fulfilled.”

God said to Abraham in Genesis 22:

“In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Gen 22:18)

“ALL THE NATIONS!” shall be blessed in the “Offspring” of Abraham. That “Offspring” is Jesus. That was one of the points of Matthew’s genealogy back in chapter 1, to show that Jesus was descended from Abraham.

As we preach Christ to “ALL THE NATIONS” and they become disciples of Christ, they are blessed!

That’s the first and main verb with our MISSION.

There are three other verbs in the text though—GO, BAPTIZING, TEACHING.

Then is the verb, “GO.” This one can be translated as a command, “Go and make disciples of all nations!” Or it can be translated as something you do while you are making disciples of all nations, “As you go, make disciples”

Robert Culver defends that view in an article:

Believers in Christ have both precedent and encouragement in other texts of the New Testament to go where Christ has not been named to declare his saving power, but the point of the Great Commission is that wherever they are they, are to be carrying it out—making disciples. The commission is to make disciples of men of any nation as well as all the nations. Make disciples in the particular nation among whom you dwell. You need not go somewhere else to operate on the Great Commission program!
Robert Culver, “What is the Church’s Commission?”[1]

But whether it’s a command (“Go!) or an adverbial clause (“As you go...”), it’s clear from the rest of the New Testament, that the call is for God’s people to be engaged with making disciples of all nations. I’ll say more about that in a minute.

Let me go back to verse 19 to see the other two verbs in our passage—baptizing and teaching. Read Matt. 28:19–20.

In our disciple-making of “all the nations” our work is divided into two broad tasks. First is “baptizing them.” That has to do with the initial evangelistic work we do. For those who respond in faith, we baptize them.

And then for these converts there is the second broad task. “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” This is not the work of a summer or a year. This is the life-long task of growing in Christ. It’s putting sin to death and living out the commandments of our Bibles.

This life-long task requires a church and not just an evangelistic crusade.

In other words, what Jesus is saying in the Great Commission is just what we observe in the rest of our New Testament.

As Christians go and share Christ, some respond to the message and become followers of Christ. These followers of Christ gather into churches. Churches built around God’s Word and pursuing Christ. Teaching and observing all that Jesus commanded is a part of these churches.

In those churches, Christians minister to each other, but they also impact their communities and more get added. Some of those Christians will go to other places and help start new churches.

In the New Testament we see it’s an up-and-down work. Some Christians and even some churches will drift into false doctrines and even a false gospel. That’s another reason the task of “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” is a lifelong task. The enemies from without and the enemies from within remain until Christ returns.

That’s why Jesus ends the passage with his powerful word of encouragement. His first one was that as God’s Messiah and Mediator, he now has “ALL AUTHORITY” in a way he didn’t before his resurrection. He is now exalted in a way that wasn’t true before.

But he ends the passage with a promise that throughout all the nations we might go, facing whatever enemies we might face, doing work that will take the rest of our lives—all this being true, he speaks as Immanuel, God with us. He tells us—Matt. 28:20.

Throughout all the moments of all the days until the end of time: “I AM WITH YOU”!

III. A Commission for All of Us

Now we need to think about our place in this Great Commission. We can over-individualize the commission and greatly misunderstand it. But we can also under-personalize the call and miss that we need have a part to play.

First, this is a call Jesus gave to ALL of us, the whole church. Discipling the nations is not the work of one person. Or even these eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. To make disciples of ALL the nations will take the whole church many generations. We’ll know we’re finished when Christ returns.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matt 24:14)[2]

Second, this is a call Jesus gave to EACH of us, every Christian. No one can evangelize the whole world and then disciple all those converts into spiritual maturity. But as we look at the rest of the New Testament, we see God’s people as a people being called to specific aspects of the work.

There are apostles—men set apart for a work of building new churches in places that don’t currently have a church.

There are pastors and teachers—men set apart to lead those new churches, doing the work of preaching and teaching.

There are the saints in those churches—men and women called to live faithful Christian lives. Seizing opportunities for good works:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt 5:16)

Seize opportunities for gospel conversations:

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Col 4:5-6)

Building up the church where God plants us:

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:10)

This adds to the idea of “AS YOU GO, MAKE DISCIPLES.” Build into the people around with the Word of God—your family, your church, your friendships, your workplaces.

But the call on each of us will sometimes involve a more active GOING component.

We see that with Timothy. A young man Paul and Silas met on Paul’s 2^nd missionary journey. He was respected by the churches in Lystra and Iconium. Paul invited him to join them in the missionary work they were doing, and he went.

Sometimes the going was like Aquila and Priscilla—a couple of Jewish tentmakers Paul met in Corinth. They were there because the Emperor Claudius had kicked out the Jews from Rome in AD 49. They got saved under Paul’s ministry and served with him.

When the law was changed and Jews could return, they went back to Rome and led a house church.

God has a whole variety of ways he sends his people to the nations.

It’s a Commission for All of Us.

Conclusion

A commission by the Christ with all authority. A commission to make disciples of all nations. A commission for all of us.

Chuck Colson’s Great Commission moment – “Epilogue” from his book, Born Again.

This commission starts with his gospel going forth. And may as his people not lose our focus on getting the truth out there.

In the 1930s mainline churches were tempted to shift their focus. From a clear gospel to social action. Tempted to become more tolerant of more beliefs so that churches could grow and people would feel more welcome.

In other words, they were tempted in exactly the same ways we are tempted in our day.

Gresham Machen wanted to address this temptation. He wrote an article called, “The Responsibility of the Church in Our New Age.”

He would just as well have written this in 2024.

He wrote,

The responsibility of the church in the new age is the same as its responsibility in every age. It is to testify that this world is lost in sin; that the span of human life—nay, all the length of human history—is an infinitesimal island in the awful depths of eternity; that there is a mysterious, holy living God, Creator of all, Upholder of all, infinitely beyond all; that he has revealed himself to us in his Word and offered us communion with himself through Jesus Christ the Lord; that there is no other salvation, for individuals or for nations, save this, but that this salvation is full and free, and that whosoever possesses it has for himself and for all others to whom he may be the instrument of bringing it a treasure compared with which all the kingdoms of the earth—nay, all the wonders of the starry heavens—are as the dust of the street.
An unpopular message it is—an impractical message, we are told. But it is the message of the Christian church. Neglect it, and you will have destruction; heed it, and you will have life.
J. Gresham Machen, “The Responsibility of the Church in Our New Age”[3]

Be a disciple of Christ—submitted in every part of your life to him.

Make disciples of Christ—understand where you’re called to be, what you’re called to do there, and make disciples as he gives you opportunities.

Prayer

Song

[1] Robert Culver, “What is the Church’s Mission?”, Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society (Jan 1968), 124. Culver was one of the founding members of the Evangelical Theological Society and a long-time professor at Grace College, Trinity Seminary, and Wheaton.

[2] John Piper on this verse: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/then-the-end-will-come.

[3] Machen, “The Responsibility of the Church in Our New Age,” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol 165, Essentials for Prosperity (Jan 1933): 38-47.